


Different Paths

by DreamingIce



Category: Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Captivity, Character Death, F/F, Gen, five things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-23
Updated: 2006-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 07:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2500142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamingIce/pseuds/DreamingIce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five things that never happened to Keladry of Mindelan. What will Kel get up too? Written for Sean challenge 24 at 'Dove.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Different Paths

**Author's Note:**

> Five not-quite drabbles (111 words each) on five things that never happened to Keladry of Mindelan.
> 
> AU's from various points in the series.

**I. Feathers...**

She was in trouble.

Two griffins that  _her_  griffin seemed to recognise, and they were advancing on her. The griffin's parents.

And Daine wasn't nearby.

For some reason, the two immortals were advancing on her slowly, as if daring her to run. She wasn't fool enough to try; she knew she'd be cut to ribbons from the air before she'd taken two steps.

She let the baby griffin go, and felt her belt for weapons that weren't there.

Two angry griffins, unarmed, no Daine and no Third Company.

She ran, and soon felt a deep gash across her back. Blood loss then caused her to faint, and she knew no more.

**II. Why go back?**

If they weren't going to treat her fairly, why should she even return to Tortall? It's not like she really remembered it anyway, just dim memories.

But here, the Isles, was her home. She knew how things worked here, but not in Tortall.

Now that she knew that they would let her train fairly to become a knight, the only reason she could see for return would be to see her family.

No, she'd stay here in the Isles. She had her friends here, Yuki, and Shinko. And she could train here. Different from the training a page or a squire, but still combat training.

Which was all she really wanted.

**III. Surprising developments...**

She twisted slightly to avoid collision with the door at full speed. Lalasa raced over to her as Kel caught her breath.

"Milady, I'm so sorry-" she started babbling, scared of her mistress' reaction, worried she was about to be dismissed.

Kel laughed and reassured her that she was  _proud_ that Lalasa had been able to throw her, Lalasa couldn't quite comprehend that thinking.

As the older girl calmed down, she impulsively leant down and kissed Kel.

For a moment, Kel was shocked.  _Is this another reason why Lalasa doesn't like men?_  Then she relaxed into the kiss and responded, letting the emotions it was stirring within her carry her away.

**IV. Swords of Law and Duty...**

The acrid smell of smoke caught in Kel's throat as she ran through the Yamani temple with her mother. Scanrans were coming from everywhere. Suddenly at a dead end, with Scanrans blocking the way out.

Ilane thrust the swords at Kel and turned around, bringing her glaive into attack position.

The glaive was tossed into the wall before it could begin to parry blows, it's owner hitting the opposite wall.

Kel screamed as her mother's body crumpled, the sound a mix of grief and the shattering of a five-year-old's belief that a parent is infallible.

She was still screeching as agony flared at her neck and the world dissolved into darkness.

**V. The not so glorious return...**

_Clunk._

It was the sound that woke Keladry of Mindelan. Blinking sleep-hazed eyes, turned around, trying to seek the source of the noise.

_Clunk._

Kel's eyes wandered to the origin of the noise to find wrists and ankles encased in manacles.

 _Her_ wrists and ankles.

Memories now assailed her as she closed her eyes, not bothering to assemble her Yamani façade for the empty cell.

The return from Scanra, her arrest by a reluctant Lord Wyldon and trying to keep her friends out of trouble.

They'd fought her, but she finally got them to back off. Now she was the only one who had to face the consequences of her actions.


End file.
